Talking-machine.



J. C. ENGLISH.

TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT.10,1911.

1,185,988. Patented June 6,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l 27 .1, JO 7 INVENTOR (15/71; 6: Egg/115K),

g ATTORNEY J. C. ENGLISH,

TALKING MACHENE.

APPLICATION FILED 00110, 1911.

' 1,1 85,988. Patented June 6, 1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR kn/5885s v I BY ATTORNEY THE COLUMBiA vmmummvu co., WASHINGTON,D. :4

.L G. ENGLiSH.

TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATKON men OCT. 10, 1911.

Patented Jfine 6, 1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented J 11118 '6, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- &

WITNESSES I film ATTORNEY J. C. ENGLISH.

TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001111.191.

1,185,988 Patented June 6,1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5- INVENTOR WlTNE S SES ATJIORNEY A I'LANOGRAPH cu.,=wAs!-IINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. ENGLISH, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR T0 VICTOR. TALKINGMACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TALKING-MACHINE.

Application filed October 10, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN C. ENGLISH, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Camden,State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and use ful Improvementsin Talking-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide in a talking machine,an improved sound box arm and mo unting therefor, and to provideimproved sound amplifying means; and to provide other improvements aswill appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a fragmentary verticallongitudinal section on line 11 of Fig. 2, of a talking machineconstructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentarytop plan view of the same; Fig. 3 a fragmentary rear end elevation ofthe same; Fig. 4 a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of amodified form of this invention, and Fig. 5 a fragmentary plan viewpartly in horizontal section of the same.

Referring to the drawings, particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, oneembodiment of this invention comprises a cabinet or casing 1,preferablyrectangular in planular outline and including a main or body portion 2,and a hollow movable cover 3 superimposed thereon and hinged thereto asat at.

The body of the cabinet 2 comprises the usual comparatively rigidexterior vertical front and rear walls 5, and side walls 6, and ahorizontal bottom wall 7 rigidly connecting the lower edges of thevertical walls. A comparatively thick and rigid horizontal partition 8extends across the upper portion of the body 1 and is rigidly secured tothe vertical walls thereof. The lower por tion of the front verticalwall 5 of the cabinet is provided with the usual rectangular opening 9closed by one or more doors 10 hinged to the front wall as at 11 to openoutwardly. The body 2 is preferably mounted upon the usual shortstandards 12.

ithin the cabinet and over the front portion of the horizontal partition8 is arranged a horizontal turntable 15 adapted to support a soundrecord 16. This turntable 15 is mounted as usual upon the upper end of avertical rotary spindle 17, which extends downwardly through the usualupwardly removable section 18 of the horizontalpartition 8 and is drivenby suitable Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Serial No. 653,880.

actuating mechanism 19 depending within the cabinet from this section.

Within the cabinet and above the turntable 15 is arranged the usual orany suitable sound box or sound reproducer 25, including a stylus 25adapted to coopera ewith the record 16. The sound box 25 is preferablysecured to and carried by one end of a U-shaped metal tube 26, and theother end of which is pivotally connected to the free smaller end of thelongitudinally tapering hollow metal sound box arm or tone arm 27, thesound box communicating with the tone arm through the U-shaped tube 26.The U-shaped tube 26 is preferably substantially round in cross-sectionthroughout its length, and the adjacent free end of the tone arm 27 isalso preferably round in cross section. From its free smaller end, thetone arm 27 preferably extends for the greater part of its length in asubstantially horizontal direction rearwardly and then curves downwardlylongitudinally in an arc of 90 and terminates in a substantiallyvertical transversely oblong or oval open end 28, preferably surroundedflush therewith, by an outwardly projecting oblong or oval flathorizontal flange 29.

The tone arm is preferably circular in transverse section externally andinternally only at its smaller end, and is preferably oblong or oval intransverse section externally and internally throughout the rest of itslength, all transverse oblong sections of the tone arm having theirmajor axes parallel and substantially horizontal, and the major andminor axes of the oblong transverse sections of the tone arm grad.-ually increasing in length from the smaller to the larger end of thetone arm.

For supporting the tone arm 27 and for receiving and amplifying soundwaves delivered from the larger end thereof, there is provided a rigidhollow vertical support 30, preferably made of cast iron or othersuitable material and oblong in transverse section exteriorly andinteriorly throughout its length. This support 30 projects freelythrough an aperture 31 provided therefor in the horizontal partition 8of the cabinet. The upper end of the support 30 is surrounded by an ovalhorizontal flange 32 preferably integral therewith, which corresponds inshape and dimensions with the flange 29 surrounding the larger end ofthe tone arm, and the lower surface of the latter flange, 29, ispositioned preferably slightly above the upper surface of the flange 32of the support when in operative position. For holding the support 30rigidly in a fixed position, the lower end of the support 30 issurrounded by an oval horizontal flange 33 integral therewith, whichregisters with, rests upon, and is rigidly secured by means of bolts 34-to an oval horizontal flange 35 which surrounds and is integral with theupper end of a dowinvardly extending fixed hollow bracket 36.

The tone arm 27 is restrained to oscillate about a fixed vertical axiscoincident with the longitudinal axis of the hollow support 30 by meansof a vertical pivot 40 coaxial with the support 30, the upper end of thepivot extending snugly but rotatively through a vertical cylindricalaperture 41 provided therefor through a thickened portion of the wall ofthe tone arm 27, and the lower end of the pivot being rigidly secured inan aperture 42 provided therefor in :1 lug 43 projecting rigidlyinwardly from the all of the support 30 and preferably integraltherewith. Rigidly secured in the open end of the tone arm is a spider45 through which the pivot 40 fits snugly but rotatively. The marginalportion of the spider is preferably flush with the open end of the tonearm, and the central portion of the spider is extended downwardlyslightly below the end of the tone arm and rests rotatively upon theupper end of the lug 43. Instead of the pivot 40 and cooperating parts,any other well known or suitable means may be substituted forrestraining the tone arm 27 to oscillate about a fixed vertical axis.

The support 30 preferably increases externally and internally graduallyin transverse sectional area throughoutat least a portion of its lengthand the major transverse axis of the lower end of the support ispreferably perpendicular to the longitudinal central vertical plane ofthe cabinet, giving the support. externally and internally,longitudinally. approximately a helical form.

The hollow bracket 36 is preferably made of cast iron or other similarmaterial and has substantially rigid and non-vibratory walls.Preferably, the hollow bracket 36 is constructed and arranged so thatits longitudinal axis extends from the lower end of the support 30,downwardly in a substantially vertical plane. curving graduallyrearwardly from the support 30 and then gradually reversing itsdirection and curving downwardly and forwardly, then upwardly andforwardly forming a loop, and finally terminating in a substantiallyhorizontal direction. The bracket 36 is preferably oval or oblonginternally in transverse section throughout its length, graduallyincreasing in major and minor transverse sectional axes from its upperend in contact with the lower end of the support 30 to its lower ordelivery end, all transverse major axes ofthe interior of the bracketbeing preferably horizontal and parallel.

The form and arrangement of the bracket are preferably such that therear curved external surface of the bracket is substantially tangent tothe inner surface of the rear vertical wall of the cabinet so that thelowermost exterior surface of the bracket projects freely into anaperture 50 provided therefor through the bottom wall 7 of the cabinet,the lower end of the aperture 50 being covered by a closure 51 securedto the under-surface of the bottom 7, the bracket being free from theclosure.

The bracket 36 is held in fixed position by means of a vertical baseplate integral with or rigidly secured to the rear wall of the bracketand engaging against and, rigidly clamped against the inner surface ofthe rear vertical wall of the cabinet by means of bolts 53 or othersuitable fastening devices.

T he upper and lower edges of the larger or delivery end of the hollowbracket 36 are provided with outwardly projecting flanges 55, preferablyintegral therewith and forming a transversely rectangular oblong socket56 which preferably flares or diverges forwardly about a longitudinalhorizontal axis, the major transverse axis of the socket beingpreferably substantially horizontal and its minor axis being preferablysubstantially vertical.

F or amplifying the sound waves delivered from the larger end of thehollow bracket 36, there is provided a hollow vibratory resonator (30,which tapers longitudinally and the smaller end of which is rigidlysecured in the socket 5G. The resonator 60 is preferably arranged withits lougitudinal axis extending in a horizontal direction and ispreferably rectangular and oblong in transverse s ction throughout itslength, having its major transverse axes extending in a horizontalplane. The top and bottom exterior walls of this resonator are formed bytwo flat 'forwardly diverging substantially semi-circularsounding-boards 61 and the curved edges of these boards are connected bylongitudinally curved boards 62 forming the external vertical walls ofthe resonator. The interior of the resonator is divided into a pluralityof sound passages by means of a plurality of sounding-boards G2 whichare preferably arranged in planes diverging forwardly from a commonhorizontal axis, and the inner ends of which are preferably sharpened asat 63. The resonator 60 is entirely supported by the hollow brackets 36and the delivery end of the resolid nator is preferably arranged inclosed proximity to but spaced from the front wall of the cabinet, andis proportioned and located to register with the opening 9 in the frontwall of the cabinet.

In the construction hereinbefore defined, there is preferably a gradualincrease in the transverse sectional area of the sound passage from thesound box through the tone arm 27, the support 30, the hollow bracket 36and the resonator 60, or from the smaller end of. the tone arm to thedelivery end of the resonator and there is a gradual change incross-sectional shape of the passage from the circular shape of thesmaller end of the tone arm to the oblong shape of the delivery end ofthe resonator. By this construction, the sound waves delivered from thereproducer are gradually amplifi ed and brought into position to beacted upon with the greatest efliciency by the resonator 60 from whichthe sound waves are delivered through the outlet or opening 9 in thefront wall of the cabinet.

It is considered at this time that the oblong transverse shape of thesound passage through the tone arm and from the tone arm to the deliveryend of the resonator, increases the efficiency of the machine over whatwould be obtained were the sound pas sage circular in transverse sectionfrom the reproducer 25 to the resonator 60, and it is also thought thatthe longitudinal curvature of the outer bracket 36, in which thelongitudinal axis is in the form of acurve including two reversals inits curvature and in which the intermediate part of the hollow bracketis longitudinally substantially in the form of a return-bend, results ina greater efiiciency than would be obtained were the reversals in thelongitudinal curvature of the bracket and the return-bend in the bracketomitted. However, as the theory of the operation of this device and thereasons for the greater efficiency obtained by this device may not befully understood at this time, applicant reserves the privilege ofsupplementing this specification, if found desirable, by furtherstatements in regard to the theory of its operation when the operationof the device is more fully understood.

In the modified form of this invention, shown in Figs. 4t and 5, theconstruction and operation are broadly substantially the same ashereinbefore described, but the modified tone arm 75 is relativelylonger than the one first described and is circular in transversesection throughout its length and terminates at its larger end in closeproximity to the rear wall of the cabinet. This modified tone arm 75 isrotatably mounted at its larger end on a rigid hollow vertical support 76, also circular in transverse section throughout its length, the tonearm being connected to the support by means of a pivot bracket iscircular in transverse section at its upper end and increases graduallyin transverse sectional area throughout its length, gradually changingin transverse section from the circular shape of its upper end to asubstantially oval shape and finally terminating at its larger end in atrans versely oblong socket 87 in which is supported the smaller end ofa resonator 88,

substantially identical in construction and arrangement with theresonator 60 hereinbefore described. Longitudinally the hollow bracket77 extends vertically downwardly from its upper or smaller end and thencurves forwardly through an arc of about then reverses the direction ofits curvature and curves downwardly and forwardly, then upwardly andforwardly, forming a loop or return-bend, and finally again reversingthe direction of its curvature and terminating substantiallyhorizontally as hereinbefore described in the socket 87. In thismodified form, the tone arm 75, its support 76, the hollow bracket 77and the resonator 88 are preferably entirely supported by the base plate78 of the hollow bracket, as in the form first described.

Although only two forms in which the curvature may be embodied have beenillustrated herein, it is not intended to limit the invention to anyspecific construction as it might be applied in various forms withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus fully described this invention, I claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a talking machine, the combination with a stationary rigidnon-vibratory bracket provided with a sound conducting passage extendingtherethrough, of a sound conducting arm communicating with one end ofsaid passage, and vibratory sound amplifying means communicating withthe other end of said passage, said passage through said arm, bracketand amplifier being oblong in transverse section throughout their entirelength.

2. In a talking machine, the combination with a stationary non-vibratorybracket provided with a sound conducting passage extending therethrough,of a swinging arm mounted on one end of said bracket and communicatingwith one end of said passage, and vibratory sound amplifying means,including a substantially flat sounding board, mounted on andeon'nnunicating with the other end of the passage, said passages throughsaid swinging arm, bracket and amplifier being oblong in transversesection and having its trans erse major axis considerably greater thanits transverse minor axis throughout the entire length.

3. In a talking machine, the combination with a stationary bracketprovided with a sound conducting passage extending therethrough andhaving two t'reely projecting open ends forming an inlet and an outletrespectively for said passage, said inlet and said outlet each beingoblong in outline and having a major axis considerably greater than itsminor axis, a hollow sound box arm entirely supported by said inlet endof said bracket and arranged to swing with respect thereto on an axissubstantially coincident with the axis of the passage in said bracket atthe end at which said arm is mounted thereon and having an oblong outletarranged to substantially register with said inlet sound reproducingmeans carried by and communicating with said arm, and hollow vibratorysound amplifying means including a sounding board entirely supported bythe outlet end of said bracket and connnunieating therewith, saidamplifying means being oblong in transverse section and having its majortransverse axis considerably greater than its minor transyerse axis.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day 01"September, A. D, 1911.

JOHN C. ENGLISH. l vitnesses Fnxxn B. MIDDLETON, CHARLES E. lVILLr-mn.

copies at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner ct Patents Washington, D. Q.

